I love Chainsaw Man.

The first story arc—through Chapter 97—is among my favorite things I've ever read. Not just in manga, but any format of literature. It possessed the uncanny ability to transition from making me laugh out loud to shedding tears without a moment's notice. And I'm not being hyperbolic in the slightest.

Character growth, epic battles, and a story that never seemed to stop evolving. Like a knife being twisted in my gut

The real credit to the quality of the writing here is that the side characters never stop delivering new reasons to love Chainsaw Man as a whole. Some are only around for a handful of chapters, while others become key figures in the broader story. In both scenarios, they become characters you truly care about—whether that's wishing the best for them or eagerly anticipating their defeat.

For instance: I will forever love Aki Hayakawa and Power. Tattoo coming soon.

I started out not caring much for either, but by the end, they were my favorite characters to emerge from this story. Denji, meanwhile, is as sympathetic a protagonist as you'll find, ridiculous as he can be. And he can be overwhelmingly absurd at times. And desperate for... Well, you'll see.

There's just something about Denji that makes you equally sad and optimistic. You want to see him overcome what can inadequately be described as a dreadfully unfair life as a child and teenager, but sadness is around every corner. He just can't catch a break (or a... Again, you'll see). Yet, as a glutton for punishment, you just keep going back for more. Or maybe that's just me.

Also, I thoroughly suggest reading this before you watch the anime. To each their own, but it's something I'm happy to have done. 97 chapters flew by in the blink of an eye, and the story was wonderfully developed. You get a lot of details that make it worth the read. Plus, source material is always good to appreciate, IMO.

Now...

I admittedly find myself struggling a bit with the second part. Perhaps it's just not what I expected, which isn't the author's fault. There's a change in focus as far as the "main" character is concerned, although that's obviously only true to some degree. I suppose I just thought they'd follow up on some key Part 1 developments sooner than they did?

Either way, I'm sticking with it and it's definitely gotten better as it's gone on. Some truly incredible battles along the way, as well as a story that's centered around some truly intriguing new characters. I have complete faith in the creative to continue developing this into a memorable arc in the Chainsaw Man... Lineage? Sure. Let's go with that.

It's early. Forgive me.

To summarize: Read those first 97 chapters before you die. That's how great they are. Essential reading for those who love manga or not.#